Vista Point

 Vista Point closer up

Multnomah Falls further down the highway.

Potato Monument

Yesterday a gentleman came into the visitor center and asked if I knew where the potato monument was located.  After he assured me that he wasn't joking, he told me about it.
   Ulyses S Grant was the Quartermaster, (Supply Officer), stationed at the Columbia Barracks in 1852 as a Brevet Captain (Lieutenent) and then later a Captain.   Now when you read the inscription you will understand.

Grant did not have a stellar military career here at Vancouver.  He was separated from his family and was unable to bring them here to be with him.  His unhappiness caused him to take to drinking which did not help either his mood or job performance.  He was transfered to another fort in northern California and then resigned his commission until he was called back for the Civil War.  

Exploring Day

   Wednesday was an exploring day.  A day to forgo projects and look around.  We have been recommending to our visitors at Fort Vancouver that they spend a day and take a trip up the Columbia Gorge.  It was time to take our own advice: both for pleasure and as an information gathering venture.
    Late morning, we drove out I-84 to exit 22, then up the hill through Corbett to Hwy 30 and turned east.  Lots of curves and lots of trees as Hwy 30 travels along the edge of the gorge, when the trees alllow it, providing great views of the Columbia Gorge just to the north. 

First stop was the Women's Forum State Scenic Viewpoint.  In 1912 the Chanticleer Inn was built there to provide food and lodging for overnight travelers. The inn burned down in 1930.  The Portland Women's Forum purchased the property in the 1950s to preserve the viewpoint from commercial exploitation.  I'm glad they did.

   From the spot the you get a good view upriver with Crown Point in the distance.  If you look further upriver into the smoke, you can spot Beacon Rock on the Washington side 20 miles away.

In the second photo the distance gets shorter thanks to the camera's zoom.  The building is lots of fun to visit.  I will write more later and include photos taken there.

Take a day.  Do the drive. 

Back at Home

It's Tuesday morning.  Up early.  Letting the cool morning air come in the den window.  Will soon eat breakfast and get ready to head to the pool for exercise.  Then its home to take on another project.  There's one more door to replace with a bi-fold, the pantry.  The replacement is easy, the refinishing is trickier.  Trying to get the finish to match.  We are not that fond of the woodwork color in this house.  It is similar to what I remember as blond from the 50's and 60's.  Not at all what we would have picked if we had a choice, but when you buy used.................

Remembering a friend from Tahoe

Phillip Foster Farm

    If you have been on Foster Road and wondered where the name came from, go visit the Phillip Foster Farm.  It is a bit of a drive east of town between Estacada and Eagle Creek.  Foster and Barlow were partners in the Barlow Road which was a toll road that brought early settlers around Mt Hood and into the Willamtte Valley without floating down the Columbia.  Foster conviently located a store at the end of the trail to offer supplies to the new settlers.  I thought it was interesting that the Fosters came to the area by sailing around Cape Horn and then coming ashore and traveling to this area.
   The farm is owned by a trust and operated as a museum to demonstrate farm life in that era.  The barn is mortise and tendon construction from the 1860s and is filled with farming and ranching tools and equipment.   Costumed volunteers do demonstrations on some of the items.  Even though the place is not on the beaten path it is open Tues - Sat.  There are upcoming special events, such as an apple cider squeeze coming up so check the webpage.  The original house is gone but the Foster house from 1883 is open for tours. If you notice the large bush that hides the right side of the house, it is a lilac bush that was brought by Mrs Foster on board the ship from the east coast.  So it is over 170 years old.  We purchased a cutting from that heritage Lilac and it will be planted in our yard.
    The farm is both history and education and is worth the pleasant drive into the country.  It was made more pleasurable bacause we found fresh produce on the way home.

the Hoover-Minthorn House

Last Thursday we drove to Newberg for the day.  Had a great lunch and a short walk around the downtown area.  Need to go back.  The highlight of the day was the stop at the Hoover-Milthorn House.  It is the house that Herbert Hoover lived in from 1885 to 1895 with his aunt and uncle John and Laura Minthorn.  The Minthorns were in charge of the Quaker Friends Pacific Academy ( now George Fox University) which he attended.  The structure and the grounds are owned and operated as a museum by the National Society of the Colonial Dames of America which is an organization that I need to do some research on as well.  The tour guide was interesting and we had a good interaction with her soaking in the information.  I would suggest a stop there when you pass through Newberg.   I know very little about President Herbert Hoover, but now I know more.
   

Thursday Aug 14, 2014

   Door #1   This week I have been a door man.  Not what you think.  The door on the shed has been sagging.  I noticed it last year before we went south but decided the repair could wait.  Tuesday was the day.  I purchased the piece of lumber from Canby Builders and removed the storm door and the old rotted trim wood around the door was split and did not hold the screws that attached the storm door.  The reason the wood rotted is because when the building was built  flashing was not installed above the door and that means when it rains the water runs down the walls and goes behind the trim, which it did, and caused the rot.  Well, it's fixed.  I pulled off the old and replaced it with new wood.  It took me twice as long as it would have for a carpenter, and it still needs to be caulked around the edges, but it is done.  :)
   Door #2  Tuesday I also received a call from Home Depot that my special order bi-fold doors had arrived.  We picked them up yesterday and I installed one in the laundry room last night.  The problem with the old door was that it opened into the laundry room and rested against the sink.  To get to the sink you had to skute around the door and close it to wash your hands. 
    With the bi-fold, it folds against the wall out of the way.  Ta da!   Now we need to figure what kind of finish to apply so it will blend in.  The door to the pantry is next.  It opens into the hallway and blocks or restricts passage so its replacement is on the garage waiting for another day.  Not today.  We are going to explore Phillip Foster Farm near Eagle Creek.  Tell you about it later.

Homework

   Another day of work. Home work.  Days at home are busy trying to get the place squared away.  Certain chores piled up while we were gone, maintenance jobs like painting, chaulking, weeding, bush trimming all pile up.  Then there are the chores that are required to make this place more the way we would prefer.  We replaced a door in our master bedroom with bifold one that takes up a whole lot less space and aloows us full access to the closet.  We have to wait two weeks for two more bi-fold doors from Home Depot because one size is a special order.  The final results will be worth it.
   The front door got a second coat of shiny black paint today and it is slowly drying as I type this.  Oil paint takes 6-8 hours to dry but it supposed to be much more durable than latex. 
    I also bought a drip irrigation kit so that I could cover the plants on the east side of our house.  They are looking a bit dry right now.  The previous owner did not use the existing inground system so it has needed some repairs and some tweeking (and still needs more) to function properly. Luckily drip irrigation is not rocket science so I think I succeeded.  I will go out tonight when the system cycles on and check it.  ( Fingers crossed.)
    

Monday Aug 4, 2014

   It is the first Monday in August.  The trailer is parked in the assigned spot for VIPs (Volunteer In the Parks).  The satellite is hooked up.  We have gotten used to ( or mostly gotten used to) the sound of aircraft taking off from the Portland Airport.  I only stop occasionally, and watch as the large cylinders climb the sky over the Columbia River just a half-mile south of here.
   Our first week-end was uneventful.  Relearning the routine was easy because the job is easy.  Relearning the proceedures for opening and closing the visitor center took just a few minutes.  Over the week-end there were many activites happening.  Three weddings all on Saturday evening and one on Sunday evening.  A car show yesterday in front of Officer's Row brought lots of visitors and interesting vehicles.
    Today is a sunny and warm summer weekday with spurts of busy periods with lulls between.  Every day I meet folks who are here for the first time.  Some are actually from out of the area.  It is amazing that we travel hundreds or thousands of miles to see attractions and miss those that are close to home.
   Yesterday's guest included a mother and her two sons who are spenting the summer visiting every National Park site in all 48 states.  Quite an accomplishment for her and an fabulous experience for her children.